Hat-forming dies



Dec. 23, 1924.

R. M. CUM,ING

HAT FORMING DIES Filed May 4. 1922 mun: J.

mum: E

JEURE E A TTORNE Y,

Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,520,015 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. CUMTNG, KEW GARDENS, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO M. A. CUMING & COL, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HAT-FORMING DIES.

Application filed May 4,

T 0- all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT M. CUMING, a citizen of the United States, residing in 'Kew Gardens, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hat-Forming Dies, of which the following is a full, clear, and concise description.

My invention relates to hat forming dies; that is, to dies pairedtogether for use 1n forming hat bodies or analogous members of the type used, for instance, in the manufacture of ladies hats.

More particularly stated, my invention comprehends a pair of dies of this general kind, specially adapted for use in connection with the pressure of a fluid such as water, air or steam, for the purpose of shaping the hat body or analogous member, made of felt or-the like, into a predetermined form or configuration. I

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters indi cate like parts throughout the several figures.

Figure 1 is a substantially central vertical section through a pair of my improved dies, and indicates the relation thereto of cergain parts immediately associated with the ies.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the inner die member, with the rubber pocket carried thereby and adapted to be distended.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the outer die member, showing the same as partly broken away.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the large or main section of the outer die member, and shows the same as partly broken away.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, looking in the direct-ion indicated by the arrows.

Figure 6 isa front elevation of a hat body after being formed between the dies.

Frame members of a die press are shown at 6, 6, and above them is a cross head 7, carried upon a pair of sliding rods 8, and thus movable up and down.

A stool 9 is provided with a base 10 supported by the stationary framework. gas heater 11 is mounted centrally upon the stool 9.

' The outer die member appears at 1.2, and is provided with supporting; legs 13 which 1922. Serial No. 558,460.

rest upon the stool 9 and sustain the weight of the outer die member and various other parts immediately associated with the same. The outer die member 12 is made of metal and is provided with a flaring portion 14, and with a portion 16 having a substantially semi-cylindrical form, as may be understood from Figures 3, 4 and 5. The portion 16 carries a portion 15 flared outwardly, as indicated more particularly in Figure 1, and having generally a semi-annular form, as may be understood from Figures 3 and 4. The outer'die member is further provided with a removable section 19, having generally a semi-annular form, and carrying a portion 19*"- flared outwardly, as indicated in Figures 3 and 5. hen the removable section 19 is in position, its lower edge rests upon a ledge 17 with which the outer die member is provided, this ledge having a substantially semi-annular form. Thus the outer die, with the removable section 19v in position, appears as shown in Figure 3; and, with the removable section removed, appears as indicated in Figure 4:. v The lower die 12 is provided with a series of holes 21, extending radially outward, and used as vent holes, as hereinafter described.

A hat body is shown at 22, and has at the stantially flush with the outer edges of the outer die member, and thus out to the peripheral edge of the hat body 22. The frame 24- is provided with an annular flange 26, integral with it and extending downwardly from it, as may be understood from Figure 2.

A substantially cylindrical barrel 27 extends through the flange 26, and is provided with a head 28 inte'gral with the barrel 2? and permanently closing said barrel.

A pocket 29 is connected with the barrel 27 by means of a gasket 30 and a, series of bolts 31. This pocketis made of soft rubber or analogous resilient material, and thus adapted to be inflated and stretched.

A supply pipe 32 is tapped through the head 28, and thus extended into the barrel 27. The pipe 32 is for the purpose of admitting a fluid under pressure into the barrel 27, in order to distend the pocket 29, and of discharging said fluid so that the pocket may by? its own resiliency resume its normal size and shape.

A pair of heating rings are shown at 33 and 34. These rings inay be heated either by gas or electricity, as desired.

The removable section 19 is provided with a strap of leather formed intoa loop as shown in Figure 3, and used as a handle for removing and replacing the section.

The hat body, after being acted upon by my device, appears as indicated in F igure 6, thus being provided with an expanded portion 23, made by enlargement of the crown, and having an outer form corresponding to the contour of-the compartment 18. r

The hat body, being made of felt or analogous material, when dampened and heated and then subjected to pressure, may be readily formed as above contemplated. Hence, when the pocket 29 of rubber or analogous resilient material is inflated and expanded by a fluid under pressure, as indicated by arrows in Figure 1, the lower portion of the pocket presses the lower portion of the hat body out into the compartment 18 to such an extent that it lodges against and is stopped by the inner surface bounding this compartment, as indicated by broken lines in Figure 1. This done, the fluid pressure is relaxed and the rubber pocket 29, because of its resiliency due to the material of which it is made, contracts and thus assumes its normal size and shape, as indicated by full lines in.

- Figure 1. The hat body, however, because of the material of which it is made and of the conditions to which is is subjected, does not thus contract. On the contrary, it now has the new form thus conferred upon it, as may be understood from Figure 6. It still retains this form, when made up into a hat and thereafter marketed and worn as such.

The operation of my device may be readily understood from the foregoing description.

structed and arranged as above described,

the machine is so operated as to raise the cross head 7, thus lifting the inner die out of engagement with the outer die. A hat form is next placed in the outer die, and the inner die is brought down upon it so'' that the various parts occupy the relations in-. dicated for them in Figure 1. The hat body, being moist and being.heated by aid of the burner 11 and the heating rings 33 and 34:, is now in good condition to be formed. Fluid under pressure being admitted through the pipe 32, the pocket 29 is thereby expanded and the formation of the hat body is thus completed, as above described. Lastly the inner die is raised, the removable section 19 is taken out by hand, the hat body is removed and another hat body placed in position, so that the operation maybe repeated.

I do not limit myself to the precise mechanism shown,-as variations may be made therein without departing from my invention, the scope of which is commensurate with my claim.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

A device 6f the character described, comprising an outer die member provided with an opening for receiving a hat body and further provided with a compartment merging in to said opening, said compartment having a general cross diameter substantially greater than that of said opening and also substantially greater than the cross diameter of. said hat body at the crown portion thereof, said. outer die member being also'provided with vent holes merging into said compartment whereits cross di ameter is greatest, and an inner die mem ber mating said outer die member and carrying a barrel for extending into said opening; said barrel having suflicient lenght to extend approximately through said opening, a pocket of resilient material carried by said inner die member and enveloping said barrel, and thus adapted for extending therewith into said opening and thus into said hat body while said hat body and means for apoccupies said openlng, plying fluid pressure to said pocket, in

.order to distend the crown portion of said 7 hat body to fill out said compartment The two parts of the die being con- ROBERT M. CUMING. 

